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WIIITBY FREE PRESS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1985 PAGE 3 Rolling Thunder performs hard-hitting theatre By SUSAN LESJAK Free Press Staff "We don't want sym- pathy or pity-laughter. We perform comedy. And we'll do it professionally or not at all." These are the words of Gord Paynter, the blind director of the Rolling Thunder Theatre Com- pany, a theatre troupe comprised of disabled or "physically challenged" actors. Rolling Thunder, which performed its play, "Given Half a Chance," last week at Henry Street High School, specializes in hard-hitting comedy aimed at making audiences more comfor- table with and more knowledgeable about handicapped people. . The play, about a disabled person seeking work at an employment agency, explodes com- mon myths and stereotypes about the disabled. Although the lead, Desi Burningham, (who in real life has cerebral palsy), is writ- ten off by the em- ployment officer when he first wheels into the office, by the time he Board A Whitby school is one step closer to getting an addition after Monday night's meeting of the Durham Board of Education. Sketch plans prepared by Lennis Trotter Ar- chitects were approved by the board and $83,000 was added to the original estimate of $632,800 for the con- struction of a general purpose room at R.A. Senate Public School on King Street. Jim Russell, superin- tendent of plînt, said extra money - was needed to upgrade the existing building to wheels out, Desi has managed to overwhelm the officer with his computer wizardry. The plot-line as ex- plained here, may sound a bit flat or overly "educational" but that's only because it's missing the laughs. Paynter's warm yet brutally honest humor gives the play a searing edge, forcing audience members to confront their own attitudes about the disabled. "We go right for the jugular. Comedy is the best tool to use on any sensitive issue," ex- nlained the red-headed director. The 30-year old, who formed the group last spring with the help of a federal works grant, writes all of Rolling Thunder's material, as wel as directing and participating in perfor- mances. For Paynter, who lost his sight as a result of diabetes just a few years ago, theatre is an opportunity to let people know that "the physically challenged have likes, hates, and fears just like everybody else." of Ed current fire standards and for some academic improvements to the existing building. These included giving the school - secretary a "decent office" rather than putting her in the front hall. ItÙssell said the board will tender in January for an early spring start on construction. + COUN;TRY FOLK WARMCHRISTMAS..1 ,#à *à pA VA V 4 Ruffled & Tab Curtains Camelback Sofas Greenfield Village Paints Wallcoverings An Endless Selection of Country & Traditional Decorating Accessories CHRISTMAS GIFTS GALORE P.O. Box 1098 183 Queen St. Port Perry Ontario LOB 1NO (416) 985-8234 Open Sunday 1-5 p.m. If laughter is the gage of Rolling Thunder's success, there's no doubt the group was a hit at Henry Street last week. The audience, which packed the school cafeteria, roared with laughter throughout the 45 minute play and moaned in dismay when the school bell rang signalling the end of Rolling Thunder's visit. After the performan- ce, students flocked around Paynter and the four other cast mem- bers, with questions about blindness and cerebral palsy and with personal sagas of disabled people they knew. "It was excellent, excellent, excellent," said one grade 11 theatre student, leaving no doubt that Rolling Thunder hit an emotional chord far deeper than the average comedy sketch. Paynter's endless stream of blind jokes - 'nice to see ya' - so to speak ... and jokes about his fellow actors - 'Des is kinda spastic - his arms and legs fly all over the place, which makes it pretty scary when he serves coffee in the cafeteria' - have sober messages under- neath. "Being disabled is a matter of attitude. You can make it a "han- dicap" or not," he ex- plained to the students gathered around him on stage after the play. "Everyone has a disability of some kind, whether it's that they don't like their hair or their feet are too big. "It's all what you make of it." Because the group's comedy often hits hard, it has run into problems with some school boards who are hesitant to in- vite them to perform. "We're saying freak and a lot of other things people don't want to hear," said Paynter. The director said he can understand school boards' initial hesitan- cy. "When I first started writing for the group I was concerned about audience reaction too." Now, however, he's pretty sure, the com- pany's on the right track. "The willingness of these kids today, shows us we're having some kind of impact." Anyone who would like to book a perfor- mance of the Rolling Thunder Theatre Com- pany, can do so by calling Vickie Iorio at (519) 752-3648 or writing to her c/o Participation House, 10 Bell Lane, Brantford, N3T 5W5. They're accepting bookings now for January and February. CONT'D FROM PG. i Staff blames shortage on rent controls generally two months, if a unit becomes vacant. "We're not set up to handle emergencies," stressed Richard Farrell, manager of Durham Region Housing 4uthority. The region's social services department is likewise not equipped to provide emergency shelter. "I wish we had some empty houses sitting waiting, but we don't," said Johns. While the Y.W.C.A. offers emergency accom- modation to women and their dependents and Hostel Services Inc. will help single men, "if you're a family, you're stuck," he said. The region is reluc- tant to get into "the emergency housing business," added Johns. "Sure, you can go out and buy an old warehouse. Set it up with plumbing, heating and beds and take in people. The problem is, once you put the people in, how do you get them out? If they still can't find housing, do you throw them in the street? - the region can't house people in- definitely." The culprit of the whole crisis, claims Johns is rent control. According to him, con- trols have got to be lif- ted and developers given the necessary economic incentives to start building rental units again. While the absence of rent control will drive prices up in the short term, he believes it'll eventually bring them down. Construction of rental units has to keep up with the population growth, he insisted. "Every year, the region's population increased 2.5 to 3 percent, but people aren't building apar- tments. Where the hell are these people going to live?" For regional coun- cillor Tom Edwards, at the root of the housing problem is human nature. Asked why the poor and low income aren't able to find shelter, he said it's because they aren't usually "your next door neighbor." Gord Paynter Desi Burningham and Fritz Wiechorek Sketches Approved *Dil Deiveyto*sy Oe.eO Osaa Bomavile renS Stf lrfl nead VAN BELLE FLORAL SHOPPES-1